SoC Reliability

Large system on chips (SoCs) using advanced FinFET technologies offer the benefits of lower leakage, higher performance and density in smaller area. The challenge designers face are higher temperatures from higher current densities, self-heat, electromigration (EM) and electro-static discharge (ESD) issues that have to be identified and managed. An increase in temperature by 25 degrees Celsius typically leads to 3X to 5X degradation of the expected lifetime of devices and metal layers. Accurate thermal analysis is key.